LYMPNE

THE DOVEB EXPRESS AND EAST KENT NEWS—FRIDAY, 5 SEPTEMBER, 1902.
OUR VILLAGES

LXVIII.—LYMPi'E

Lympne is a village on the road from Hythe to Aldington, three miles west from from Hythe and a mile and a half south from Westenhanger railway station. It is situate on the scarp of the hill which twenty centuries ago was a sea cliff, but which now overlooks Romney Marsh.

JLYMPNE’S ANCIENT HISTORY.

Lympne is a very ancient place, having been a settlement and stronghold of the ancient Britons before the Roman Invasion. Romney Marsh, iust below it, which by some is termed die “ fifth quarter of the earth,” had a beginning when the waters rolled back off its muddy expanse and left it to develop into pasturage; but no limit can be set to the time when Lympne hill first became a place of human habitation. This place is acknowledged by historians to have been that station of the Romans mentioned in the geography of Ptolemy by the name Aimhm, and in the Itinerary by that of Portus Lemanis. The latter name is derived from the river Limene, now called -the Rother, which in early times flowed at the base of the hills from Appledore, forming ill. front of Lympne a haven where ships used to ride, and joining the sea at West Hvthe. This river bed has long been drv, and the Rother later turned its course, having a mouth near Appledore, and later still turned towards Rye. The ancient channel of this river to the foot to Lympne hill is not now apparent, but there’ are said to be here and there traces where the base of the hill has been worn by the current. It was when this river had its estuary at the foot of Lympne hill that the Romans had their port here, to defend which they built Studfall Castle, a verv strong fortress midway down the hill, and it is stated that towards the close of the Roman occupation of Bri'ain, that this castle was garrisoned by troops called Tur-nacences, on account of their being brought over from a Roman station at Tournay, in Belgium ; but these troops were subject to a superior officer termed the Count of the Saxon shore, corresponding in position and ; importance with the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, after the Conquest. At the same time that Studfall Castle was garrisoned by Roman soldiers there stood on the summit of Lympne hill a watch tower similar to the Roman Pharos which still stands within the walls of Dover Castle. This tower has disappeared altogether. For the structures which now crown the summit of the hill there is no greater antiquity claimed than the Norman period; but the Tuins of the old fortress midway down the hill must be classed as Roman. The fragment which remains shows astonishing thickness of the walls, which are composed of rubblestone and mortar mingled with small ”«»bbles. with a facing of double rows of Roman tiles, laid similar to those in Richborough Castle; but the facings are nearly all destroyed. This castle, or rather fort, is supposed to have been square with a circular tower on the upper north-west corner to defend the most salient point. Leland thus describes the old stronghold as it appeared in his day: “ There remayneth at this day the ruines of a stronge fortresse of the Britons hangging on the lul, and commynge down to the very rote. The com-passe of the fortresse seem^th to be a x acres, and be lykelyhood vt had sum walle beside that streeched up to the very top of the hille where now is the paroch chirche and the Archdeacon’s House of Canterbury. The old walles of the Castel made of Briton’s brikes, very large, and great flynt set to-gyther almost indissolutely with morter made of small pvbble. The walles be very thikke, and in the west end of the Castel anpeareth the base of an old towre. Abowt this old Castel, yn time ofm nd. were found antiouities of man" of the Romans. This old Roman fort, and the land around it is the property of Mr. Murray Lawes, son of Major Lawes, of Old Park, Dover.

SAXON AND NORMAN TIMES.

There is no Manor of Lympne. The Manor of Aldington claims over the part of the parish which contains the church and village. There are, however, other Manors in the parish which are of historic interest. There is the Manor of Berwick. The name signifies a place remote from the centre of the community. This and the other Manors in this parish were held for knights service. Berwick lies half a mile northward of the church in the valley between Lympne and Newin-green. Canute, about the year 1020, gave this Manor to Eadoy, a priest, who in the year 10C& gave it to the Monastery of Christ Church, a copy of the grant being set forth in Somner s Roman Ports. After the Conquest Berwick passed into the possession of the Aberville family, and from thence by marriage to Nicholas de Criol, in which family it renamed until the time of Bertram de Criol, Constable of Dover Castle. Afterwards it went by marriage to Thomas de Poynings, and j-emained in the Poynings family until the death of Sir Edward Poynings, of Westenhanger and Berwick, who was deputy-Lieutenant of Ireland under Prince Henry (afterwards Henry VIII.lL and this Sir Edward Poynings it was who settled the rebellion there with a very high hand, and summoned the Parliament at Drogheda which passed the Poynings Law. On the death of Sir Edward Poynings, in default of legr imate issue, the property was escheated to the Crown, under Henry VIII., when the King conferred it on his eldest natural sen, Sir Thomas Poynings, remarkable for personal beauty and elegance of manner, having been so much in royal favour, was made a K.B. He was created Baron Poynings, and very soon after he conveyed Berwick, Westenhanger, and other estates in Kent to the King in exchange for o‘.her Manors in Dorsetshire. Berwick Manor in Lympne remained in the possession of the Crown, until the reign of Edvard VI., after which it passed to private ownership. The Manor of Otterpool, on the north west of the parish, was at the time of the compiling of the Domesday the large possessions of Hugo de Montfora, who owned the adjoining Manor of Sellinge, and after his grandson's exile the King gave it, to one of the family of de Manms : and it was held bv members of that family in capite until the reign of King John. It afterwards passed to a succession of private

owners and eventually it was owned by the

same lord as Berwick. Another ancient estate in the parish, although scarcely a Manor, was Bellaview. situated nearly a mile south-west from the church of Lympne, being a moated seat, commanding a beau-liful view, which in early times was the residence of Bertram de Ci-lol. when he was Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports. It descended like Berwick to the Poynings family, and in later times was the property of the Hevmans, of Sellinge. .Street is another Manor of this parish whi,;h figures largely in historv. It is situate on the western bounds within the

Marsh. In Domesday Book it is written Estraite*. and later Court-at-Street but vulgarly Court-up-Street, deriving its name
from the Court of the Manor, and is near the Street or Via Strata of the Romans. John Leland, writing in 1540, says the Manor of Sireete is situated close to a hamlet or t9ivn once existing here which was anciently called the Billerika, where is the Chapel of Our Lady, and, to quote his own words, “Hard by this Chaple apere the old ruines of a castalet, whereby it may be thought the place and the town there was called Billirica, as who should say in Lar tyne, Bellocastrum, and that the new name of Cowrt-up-Streate, by reason of the Cowrt i that the Lord of the soyle held here. The 1 commune voyce is ther, that the towne hath , bene large, and they shoe now ther Sigua Pnetoriana, that is to say, a home gar-; lushed with brasse, and a mace. But the, likelehad ys that they longed to Lymme, sometime a notable towne and haven.” In ! the time of the Saxons Godwin was the Lord of the Manor, according to Somner's i Treatise on Gavelkind; and a curious marriage contract, appears according to a certificate m the archives at Canterbury, which : Godwin made with Byrthric when he wooed i his daughter, and in which the bridegroom I gave to his bride one pound weight of gold ; for her consent, together with the lands of Street and Burmanemersh, with horses, | oxen, cows, and bondsmen, the longest; liver to take all. This contract was made before Canute and the Archbishop. The maiden was escorted from Court-a-Street to! Brightling in Sussex by a number of per- j sons as sureties. The contract was made in triplicate, one copy being deposited at Canterbury' (where it is said to be now), one went to Godwin, and the other Byrthric kept himself. After the Conquest these lands were the possession of Hugo de Montfort. Wei lop was another Manor in the I south-west part of this parish, below the hill i in the Liberty, of Romney Marsh, and was part of the ancient possessions of the See of Canterbury. The land originally belonged to the sea, and although it sounds like punning, as the sea retreated and left drv land, the King thought it mete and right to give the new land to the See of Canterburv. probably as a thanksoffering for the enlargement of his kingdom. The lands belonged to the Archbishops of Canterbury until Archbishop Cranmer at the Reformation surrendered them with those of Aldington to the Crown. About a century’ later the lands became private property’. * There is also an estate in the parish of Lvmpne called Combe, which Dr. Harvev. the discoverer of the circulation of the blood, conveyed to a School Charity which he founded at Folkestone. Amongst the eminent Kentish families who have been resident in the parish of Lympne may be mentioned the Fnatchbulls. the Knights, the Teaggers, the Kyryells, and the Finches.

LYMPNE MODERN.

Lympne to-day has an old-world appearance. Viewed from the road that leads from Hythe to Aldington, less than a quarter of a mile north of the church and castle, those two buildings of grey masonry look like one structure, bearing the hall mark of antiquity. The village street runs up to the Aldington road, and on turning into Lympne on the first houses noticeable is the date date 1732; and although there are new houses on the outskirts, there does not appear in the village itself anything more modern than that date. The street runs from north to south, and is closely built on the west side, where is the Post Office and shops. On the other side it is more open, and through one of the breaks eastward is 6een the village school; and further northeast the vicarage. At the end of the street the road turns at right angles, passing the extensive range of stone outbuildings at the rear of the castle, and leading up to fhe churchyard, which it would be a misnomer to call God’s Acre, for the area is much larger than four roods. Advancing through the churchyard to its southern border, there is seen the cliff that in ancient times overlooked the haven of Limen; but the place where ships were wont to ride is the pasture of Romney Marsh sheep, and the Castle of Studfall which the Roman soldiers garrisoned is now a massive wall of concrete reclining on the hillside with cattle browsing round it. Looking further south’ the distajit shore is seen, composed of a big shingle bank studded with Martello towers like silent sentries. Between the shingle and the Lympne upland runs the Military canal, margined with rows of trees, under the shade of which is a very' pretty walk. Going inland a little, and about half a mile to the east, we come to the historic spot known as Shepway Cross. Here, according to a mandate issued by Henry III., the Lord Warden held his Courts for pleas of the Crown every August, the Monarch thoughtfully assigning as his reason for fixing that period of the year because “ it was an idle time with the men in these parts, as they had then returned from the various regions whither they had gone with their merchandise, and were awaiting the harvest and the fishing on the south coast of England.” There is a standing unsettled dispute as to the derivation of the name. Hasted, Lambarde, and Leland say it was derived from the haven where ships used to ride at the foot of the hill, and they consistently spell it “ Shipway.” The late Mr. Edward Knocker, in his “ Grand Court of Shepway,” adopted the more modem style, spelling it “ Shepway.” The facts of history and the appearance of the locality seem to combine in proving that Mr. Knocker was right, and that the old writers’ ideas were fanciful and unwarranted. At the time when Henry III. issued his mandate for the Lord Warden to hold his Courts at this spot there was no haven under the hill where ships could ride. The sea had then receded, and instead of water there was pasturage. We visited the green spot —a grassy bank at the junction of the roads beyond the church, and one of those roads, which sharply dips down towards the marsh, might have very appropriately been termed the “ Sheepway ” by which the shepherds conducted their Bheep down to the rich marsh pasture below; hence it would be natural to call this road Shepway. for the same reason as the island in the Medway. anciently used for sheep farming, was called Sheppy. The name of this spot, which gives the name to the Lathe, was prior to the time of Henry III. called Limowart. Turning westward towards Aldington, we come to Court-a-street, a straggling hamlet where shortly before the Reformation was a hermit’s cell and the Chapel of Our Lady of Court-a-street. where Elizabeth Barton, “the Holy Maid of Kent.” is alleged to have worked miracles and uttered prophecies. There are still, beside a quiet little pond, the ruins of a chapel there, and more to the point, there is a modem mission room, whieh is very useful for the outlying inhabitants, and for which the vicar of Lympne would be glad to receive subscriptions. The whole of the dis- i trict is called “ street ” because it was from i Lvmpne direct to Canterbury that the Stone street of the Romans was constructed Referring to this road Leland says: There

went from Lymme to Conterbury. a streate favr paved, whereof at this dav yt is called Stony streate. Yt is the straitest that ever I sawe. and towards Conterburv ward the pavement continually appereth ]
iiii or v myles. Billirica iB abowte a myle fro Lymme Hill, and at this day yt it is member of Lymme paroche. Howbeyt there is a chaple for the howses that now remayne, and this is the chaple conmunely cawlled Our Lady of Court-up-Streate,’ where the nunne of Cantorbiry wrought all her fals miracles.” Turning again northward, the road before referred to as Stone Street leads direct to the northern boundary of the parish at Newm-green, where on its frontier stands the well-known inn, the Royal Oak, and on the east side of the road is Berwick, which no doubt has been rebuilt 6ince the days of the Poynings. There are several pretty residences along this road—some old, intruding the forge, Oathill Farm, and the Manor Farm; while other houses are quite new, well-built, and only very recently occupied From Westenhanger along this road to Lympne church and castle is a drive well worth taking, and the necessary vehicle can be had at the Roval Oak, Newin-gTeen. by dropping a card to Mr. Divers, the landlord.

LYMPNE CASTLE.

Lympne Castle is ancient, although alongside the Roman fortress of Studfall just below it is comparatively modern It is believed to have been built near the site of the ancient Romau watch tower which was I contemporary with Studfall. The building i is a castellated mansion rather than a castle, and a very fine and well preserved example of that kind. It has usually been called the Archdeacon’s House, but prior to its being given to the Archdeacon of Canterbury there appears to have been an abbey or some similar ecclesiastical community for seven priests who paid a rent to the Archbishop. The lower part of the house seems to have been built from the ruins of Studfall Castle, but it does not appear that the Roman watch tower can be identified with_ either of the towers at its west end. There are three towers in a cluster, the westernmost being circular; and nearer the church is the house with a castellated front. The mansion has Gothic arched windows

ttok^The^isTloV^tSre'^er^ng

the north under which is the main entrance; and on the front side facing the sea there have been some very handsome windows lookm» on the terrace, from which the view of Romney Marsh and the sea is grand. This house is now the farm house of the Castle Farm, in the occupation of Mr. James Stoneham. but the tower, the ancient apartments of the mansion, and the terrace walk overlooking Studfall and the site of the ancient haven are open to public view for a small fee No visitor in the neighbourhood should leave without seeing this Lymnne Castle. The climbing of the tower supplies just a spice of adventure. The first stage bv an outside stair leads into a building in which the thick walls and small adjoining cells or chambers must have, in the days of barbarism, suggested

“All hope abandon.

Ye who enter here.”

This antichamber, however, has now no terrors* for it is devoted to storing the implements and products of husbandry. In the western corner of this room is a door leading, to a circular flight of stone stairs up the turret to the leads above. To those who have climbed the keep of Dover Castle the ascent is not formidable, but the way is winding and narrow, so that it is quite a relief when the leads on the tower top are reached, and from there the view—how glorious ! South-east across the English Channel is clearly seen the coast of France. Away to the south-west for fifteen miles extends the famous plain of Romney Marsh, defended from the sea, which seems to stand above the land level, by a great ridge of shingle and the well-known Dym-church wall. On a clear day the many church steeples of the marshland are visible, and right down the shore the line of Martello towers which less than a century ago were deemed to be a safeguard against invasion. Landward the view is very charming, and on occasions of national rejoicing such as the Jubliee or the Coronation full forty bonfires have from this centre been seen blazing round the horizon. Leaving the tower, we next went in at the grand northern entrance and through the corridor to the terrace on the south front, where there is another grand view seaward, of the eastern part of the Marsh, with Studfall and the Military Canal in the foreground and West Hvthe to the left. Looking down from this terrace the view is extremely Tomantic, and adopting the mood of the late Bishop of j Dover when he addressed the members of the Kent Archaeological Society in this neigh- i bourhood, we may also adopt his words: “A gentle evening breeze rustles peacefully amongst the flags on the dyke side. The blue skv overhead was never more blue. Where are we? Is this Kent? Are we in England at all? Or have we dropped down somewhere on the Campagna, outside the walls of Rome? For lack of a mined aqueduct your eye rests on the grey wall of Hope, or Eastbridge, or on the solitary arch of Midley. On the one side rises a tall landmark across the plain, the Campanile of Lydd. On the other stretches far away the long ridge of the Alban and Sabine Hills, which folk hereabout, call Lympne and Aldington. But I know better, for while my friend the Marsh Rector and I are still arguing the point, there comes creaking along the road to Ostia (New Romney he calls it), a heavy waggon drawn by the widehorned. mild-eyed, melancholy oxen, which every Roman artist knows so well. Thus fancy lends her ready aid in support of my honest theory as to the meaning of the name Romnev Marsh. From Rome I set out, with Rom- t end. And now I leave you in the hands of the Viri Palustres (as Camden calls them)—kindlv souls as I know them to be— who are waiting to receive this sudden invasion, of unwonted visitors.” Then from the terrace we enter the interesting hall of the castle, in which are two wide arched fireplaces. in which you can sit. and looking up at night see the stars. The furniture, too. is old. but not so old as the mansion, and the whole is fraught with curios, while the visitors' book which has to be signed at the end of the perambulation of the premises is evidence that the interest felt in this ancient place is keen and unflagging.

LYMPNE CHURCH

Last, but bv no means least, we must visit the parish church, the interest of which cannot be eclipsed by other attractions. In tracing the history of this church of St. Stephen, we have to go back nearly to the Conquest, for it is believed that this church was built by Archbishop Lanfranc. who gave it to the Archdeaconry. The sacred edifice to-day consists of a chancel, tower, nave, north aisle, and north porch. The chancel arch is semi-circular, opening from the lower part of the tower, and there are on the north and south sides of the tower two similar but smaller arches which have now no apparent use. These arches and the position of the tower at the end of the chancel suggest that the building of this church was commenced for a two-fold purpose—that of providing a small place of Christian worship, and of furnishing this prominent headland with a tower to show a kindly light to friends and from which to keep a watch on foes. What happened to the Roman watch tower is not known, but it is verv probable that the tower of this church, built immediately after the Conquest. was its successor, and that the chancel and this tower were Archbishop Lan-franc’s and his successor. Anselm’s, contributions to the work. Although the chancel
entrance, which is purely Norman, is of an earlier style than the tower with its Gothic arches, the building of the chancel and the tower, if the conclusions of the archaelogical experts be correct, followed closely upon each other. The aim of Lanfranc seems to have been two-fold—as a zealous Churchman and church-builder he was anxious to provide a church for the community resident on and under this cliff; and, as a rival of the great lay land-owner, Hugo de Montfort who was the patron of the Chapel of Our Lady of Court-a-Street, he was anxious to prevent the tithes and offerings from being devoted to that chapel, which was not under his patronage. The powerful prelate succeeded in making the new Lympne edifice the parish church, and although that church was very small at first, after the decline of Court-a-Street, which occurred very soon owing to its revenues being diverted, there was an excuse for further enlargement. It appears, therefore, that Lvmpne Church was built in three stages which quickly followed each other. First there was the chancel, originally purely Norman; secondly the tower, built as niuch for secular as sacred purposes, and in the earliest pointed style; and not long after that was built the nave and north aisle, m the most severe and massive Early English stvle. saying as plainly as stones and mortar can that the builders were anxious to erect a large and substantial church which would stand on that cliff as a witness to Christianity, far down the ages, but at the same time, that they had no money to waste on mere ornament. Every visitor to tins fine old church must feel that the builders have more than attained their object The church, though plain, is beautiful. The first peep at the interior, after passing through the capacious northern porch, gives the idea of a small cathedral. The arches supporting the central tower. break up the space, enhance the appearance, and give artistic effect. The slanting view from the north door is very pretty, but on advancing into the nave the longitudinal j prospect is fine, almost approaching to gran- i deur; and the effect produced by looking through the two arches and up the lengthy chancel beyond, with its beautiful triplet of coloured lancets surmounting the charming I reredos. is pronouncedly picturesque. Turn- i ing to details around us as we sit in the nave to admire the interior, the arcade separating that part from the north aisle consists of two plain pointed arches resting on a massive square pier, and the north aisle extends eastwards alongside the base of the tower, and has an opening like a transept by the fine Gothic arch, which supports that side of the steeple. The nave is lighted on the south by three lancets widely splayed, filled with plain glass. The roof is unceiled, displaying fine woodwork, which has been restored. The north aisle is lighted by eight lancets, all plain glass, one at the west end, five in the north wall, and two at he east end. The woodwork in the roof of this aisle is ancient and somewhat curious in workmanship. Just within the door is a recess for a stoup, and just above the door there is a clear space round the font, which is a very old square basin resting on a small central pillar and four small outer shafts, which have been restored. In t he north wall there is a recess with quart refoil arch, in which there is a very ancient tomb with traces of a floral cross sculptured on it. In the floor of the aisle, close by, are several gravestones. One has the matrix of a rather elaborate brass, which has been removed. At the back of the pier supporting the tower west arch is another ancient tombstone, at the head of which are four circles, and on the foot the remains of a floriated cross. Next to this in the floor of the aisle is another stone inscribed:

“ Here lieth the Rev. Mr. Henry’ Bagnall, vicar of Limne, who left one son, Henry, rector of Frittenden, obit 1748. aged 73 years.” Another stone alongside is inscribed: “Mr. Henry Morris, grazier, who died 1775, aged 64.” With reference to the base of the tower it has already been mentioned that the two arches looking west and north are of the Early Pointed style, while that looking east is semicircular. Although plainness is the general character, there is great beauty in the general outlines, and the bands of the imposts are enriched with diamond ornaments. Over the tower arch facing the nave are three recesses of even height, and under the tower, in the piers : supporting the chancel arch, are two re- I cesses, one on each side, and in the northeast angle a large aumbry. In the north- , west corner there is a shelf-like recess, the use of which is not apparent. The south window under the tower is a double lancet with a deep stone seat, as though there had been a shrine or altar there. The chancel is unusually long, and is lighted with three plain glass lancets on each side. The east end of the chancel has three fine lancets filled with stained glass. In the central window is a cartoon representing Christ on the Cross, with the Virgin Mary and St. John standing by, and an inscription: “Mother, behold thy son.” In the north lancet is St. Stephen, a radiant figure, underneath being the text: “ They saw his face as it had been an angel;” and in the south lancet is Stephen kneeling amongst the , stones thrown at him and saying. Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Above this triple 1 lancet is a small circular window in which there s a descending dove. Under this win- , dow is a panelled reredos of Caen stone, | with dark marble shafts. On the south is . a piscina. This church was thoroughly restored in 1876-8 at a cost of £2,000. The I reredos was erected in 1885 at a cost of £150, and six panels added in 1890 at a cost of £78. On the floor immediately in front of the altar is a stone to the memory of John and Sarah Finch, obit 1705. On each side of the chancel, against the wall, are continuous stone seats, those inside the Communion rail being a step higher than those outside. Under the second window of the south side of the chancel is an ancient altar tomb, but no inscription left. The northern door is worn with age, and on the outside of it, formed with nail heads, are the following:

“ A.G., C.W., 1708.” On the north wall of the chancel is an oval tablet to the memory of John Bridger, obit 1765. A long tablet contains records of the baptisms and deaths of members of the Greenland family, of Bellevue, in this parish, from 1690 down to 1729. The principal feature of the church externally is the strength of the buttressing on he south side, one against the chancel being a flying buttress, the object of these supports evidently being to prevent a list towards the cliff, which is not far away. The vicar of this church is the Rev Henry Bridges Biron, B.A., of Trinity Hall, Cambridge. who has held it since 1882. .There is in the churchyard a tomb inscribed to the memory o the Rev. E. Biron, who died in 1877 and was vicar of this parish 36 years. The graves in the churchyard seem far between. The salubrity of the parish and the great area of the churchyard combine to give that effect. There is retained near the churchyard gate a sundial m proper order, an article not now often met with.

LYMPNE CHURCH GOODS.

In the 6th and last year of Edward VI., when the reformers of the Church were on the verge of the crisis which threw them back into the grip of the Papacy in the reign of Queen Mary, an inventory was made of the Church goods in Lympne Church dated 5th December. 1553. and signed by Thomas Carden, vicar ; John Cresev and John Vvtele Churchwardens: and Jemys Knight and Miehell Aden, parishioners. The following are the items :-(l 4 bells in the

steeple; (2) one cope of blue silk; (3) one
cross cloth of green cloth; (4) one vestment of red damask and one old vesment of green worsed sold by William Cresey (Churchwarden) to Thomas Carden (Vicar) for 6/8;

(5) one cross of copper sold by John Cresey, Churchwarden, to one of Canterbury for 2/8;

(6) one vestment and a cope of red velvet with a deacon and a sub-deacon of the same vestment of divers colors, with a cope of the stime, sold to Thomas Carden, Jermys Knygth, Miehell and Nicholos’Afforde price i i i j 1 i. It will be seen from the foregoing that most of the ornaments were bought in by the Vicar and his friends, who probably had been warned by the shadow of coming events not to entirely get rid of the vestments, which were no doubt again used not many months aftej than inventory was taken. The money realised by the sale of the articles before mentioned seems to have been spent on the repair of the building, that is, 26/8 to the glazier, 13/4 to the plumber, 20/- to the carpenter, 3/4 to the tyler, and 6/8 for whitewashing. Even if the price of the last item sold is represented in shillings (which is not clearly expressed) the money received would not be sufficient to pay the workmen’s bill, so that the Churchwardens at the commencement of the reign of Mary must have started in debt. POPULATION AND EDUCATION.

The population of this parish in the year 1821 was 444, composed of 250 males, and 194 females, an unusual disproportion. There were at the same time 56 dwelling houses. There are now 115 houses, and the inhabitants number 467, being 222 males and 245 females, a wonderful change over of the majority, a decrease of 28 in the males and an increase of 51 in the females. The children of school age, according to the recognised mode of reckoning, should be about 77, but at the village school, of which Mr. Edward Cooper is the master, the average attendance is 89, and there is actual accommodation for 100.